OLDER
CONTACT ME
DIARYLAND
2003-08-11 - 2:49 a.m.
"A good feeling... Haven't had one of them in a while. Since I'm meeting new people today, which way to the bathroom? I'd like to clean up and change."
I walked her up the stairs to the fully functional bathroom. The one downstairs didn't have any hot water. She grabbed her duffel on her way up and closed the door behind her. I went into my room and changed my shirt, I wanted to make a better impression on Nikki today than I did yesterday. After about twenty minutes of hearing the water running off and on Amy stepped out of the bathroom in black cargos that hugged her hips, but were loose everywhere else, a sleeveless, button down shirt that stopped just above her navel and a red tie. Her hair was pulled back in a tight ponytail, except her bangs which fell into her eyes. She had her watch on her left wrist and a bunch of plastic bracelets on the other. Her ears had been pierced too many times to count, so I didn't notice anymore. But overall she looked beautiful. The sophistication of her torso sliding into the comfort of her lower half, it was a look not many could pull off. "Stop staring boy. We're going to be even more late if we don't leave like now." "Shit, I told her twenty minutes, and you've been in there for almost twenty minutes." I smacked myself on the forehead and looked between Amy and my watch. "Seventeen minutes exactly, don't get me started on how I know that. But let's get going, I don't want to make a bad impression on the girl that gives you a good feeling." She grabbed my arm, pulled me down the stairs, and out the door. I broke free of her grip, ran back to the house and locked the front door; not a necessity, but habit. She was already halfway down the block when I caught up with her. Nothing moved out of place as she ran, it was odd. My hair fell into my eyes constantly, and the lock from the chain around my neck kept smacking my lower jaw, but I was used to it. We were about two blocks away from Platinum when we stopped running. I saw Nikki sitting on a bench outside the bar, chin on her fists looking somewhat dejected. She reminded me of Meredith, a girl I knew back in Palmero, but that was a lifetime ago. Amy and I walked up to her, catching our breath, and she looked up at me and smiled. I smiled back down at her. "Nikki, this is Amy, an old friend of mine from Redstone. Amy, this is Nikki, a new friend." They shook hands and I figured the hardest part was over, but I was wrong. Just as I was ushering our little group towards the door a rather Martin shaped object came flying out the door. Obviously he was being thrown, but who would do such a thing to the Preacher's son? The answer came soon afterward, Aaron Brown came stomping out the door towards Martin's prone form. At this point I didn't think Martin was conscious, he didn't seem to be moving besides breathing. I waved Amy and Nikki back and slowly approached Martin's body; slightly faster than Aaron, but slow none-the-less. He was breathing and seemed to be conscious; good. Aaron didn't notice me because he was drunk and single-minded, two things that worked to my advantage. He reached down to grab the back of Martin's shirt and I slapped his hand away. He looked up at me, stunned that someone would defy him. He tried reaching for me on his next attempt, I punched the inside of his bicep; throwing his arm away from me and sending him off balance. He fell next to Martin, but was quickly back to his feet and back at me. He swung wide with his right and caught me in the jaw. I spun and dropped to one knee, but didn't fall. He stepped towards me again and I kicked out at his leg, just below his knee. I heard it pop, but he didn't fall; he just kept coming at me. As I stood this time I took the chain from around my neck and wrapped it around my left fist. When he came toward I swung with my right and he blocked it, but he didn't see my left coming low. I caught him in the stomach and he almost immediately doubled over. I didn't have to do anything else at this point because Martin was standing next to Aaron by this time and he nailed him with a right cross that came in a downward arc, connecting with Aaron's left temple, sending the big man to the ground. Just as soon as it was over Doug came outside with a bat, ready to break things up. Good old, reliably late Doug. Aaron's friends quickly picked him up and got him out of there before the police showed up. I checked over Martin, made sure he was all right, and got his truck keys from him. I grabbed Amy and Nikki and we piled in the truck; Amy had to drive because it was a stick and I'm used to automatics. When we pulled in the driveway Nikki finally spoke up after looking worried and confused. "Explain to me why we had to run from there? The drunk guy was beating up Martin and you stopped it from happening." I unlocked to front door and stepped in. "The drunk guy is Aaron Brown, former football hero for this town. He can do no wrong because of the fame he brought this town when they won the regional title. Martin may be the Preacher's son, but that doesn't quite measure up to football hero. So we had to get out of there. Luckily I don't think very many sober people saw me, and if they did they'll probably say that I didn't do anything, as a favor to Martin. There's no reasoning to it, that's just how this town is." We all sat down in the living room and began to relax as the flashing lights of a police car pulled in my driveway.
